The first line of storms came through Monday night but it was the second line, which hit after midnight, that did the most damage.

Fortunately, that damage was largely confined to downed power lines and tree branches, and no injuries were reported. However, tens of thousands of homeowners and businesses were inconvenienced by having their power knocked out.

For the Kalamazoo Gazette staff, it provided an opportunity to put into practice some of the real-time storm-coverage techniques we have learned from Torregrossa and also developed in recent years.

Traditionally, the newspaper's role in coverage of major storms was largely to document the damage and, if necessary, point the community to where helpful resources were available.

We still do that. But now our weather coverage extends much further, particularly with advance coverage, real-time reporting and reader engagement.

Monday's storm provided a good example.

Torregrossa posted his first alert on Sunday night about the potential for severe weather on Monday night and early Tuesday. On Monday afternoon, he reported on the storm as it developed in Iowa and headed east. He then used that post as a live blog and answered readers' questions about the developing storm in real time.

When the National Weather Service issued the first severe thunderstorm warning in Southwest Michigan — Berrien County — reporter Rob Wetterholt posted the news at 9:21 p.m. He added a link to a beach cam in St. Joseph that gave viewers a leading-edge view as the storm first came ashore in Michigan.

From there he stayed on top of the developing weather situation as more counties came under warnings and the storm blew across the region. Managing producer Tammy Mills jumped in to update the story at 1:02 a.m. Tuesday when a second severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Kalamazoo County.

Before the sun rose, reporter Rex Hall Jr. was working the phones to get a first read on the damage from the storm, particularly power outages and road closures from downed power lines and tree branches.

Photographer Mark Bugnaski posted a photo gallery a short time later of the damage in and around Vicksburg. Reporter Aaron Mueller reported stories from both Vicksburg and Centreville, where residents were cleaning up.

In the end, our reporters and photographers still provided the complete coverage of the storm and its effects that readers have come to expect. But now, readers can also expect more advance and real-time weather reporting from us, especially during major storms.